Author: likelystory18

Review: Fireside Horror: The Wendlelow Mysteries by P.A. Sheldon

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

There is a troubled town nestled on the border of Shropshire and Powys. Steeped in folklore, domain of ghosts, it is witch haunted Wendlelow. Pity those who dwell there.
Here is an collection of interconnected tales, ghostly, gothic and monstrous, so curl up by the fire, dim the lights, and prepare to be horrified.

Favorite Lines:

Rather than picking favorite lines, I thought it would be more appropriate to pick out a couple of my favorite short stories from this collection:  The Witch-Brands of Wendlelow and The Tunnel.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I grew up with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, so you know I was excited to read this collection of mysterious and creepy stories. Spoiler: I was not disappointed. Sheldon brings a unique twist to both classic legends and new supernatural tales alike in this collection of short stories.

I chose to read this collection at night to really get in the mood for the creepy tales and I found myself having to turn a couple extra lights on! As an American, I am not very familiar with the area that this takes place in, near Shropshire and Powys, but they are real places and I imagine that if you are local, this book will have you nostalgic and maybe a touch paranoid. Nonetheless, being a local isn’t a prerequisite for enjoying this book as I certainly devoured it in one sitting.

I found that the tales were very well written and, as I had mentioned previously, Sheldon did a great job putting a unique spin on each plot. I was turning page after page and fully invested from start to finish. I hope that there are more to come for this collection in the future!

Summary:

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will certainly be reading it again closer to Halloween – but I’ll maybe make sure to leave some lights on…If you’re a fan of thrillers, horror, suspense, mystery, and the supernatural, then this book could be for you!

Check out Fireside Horror: The Wendlelow Mysteries here!

 

Children of Madness by Jarrett Brandon Early

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

FOR A WORLD GONE CRAZY, ONLY THOSE RAISED AMONG MADNESS CAN HELP

The Imperator of Quaan restlessly awaits the centennial arrival of the Snail-Gods to cure the Gloomtide, a shadow of melancholy blanketing the Titian Empire. But when the Supreme Helices finally make landfall, they do so just out of reach of the distressed monarch, beyond a poisonous grove that separates man from messiah.

Fincher Bugg leads the Sour Flower Gang, the preeminent child harvesters of the Stenches, a town of outcasts condemned to diminished lives toiling away in toxic conditions. As Fincher and his four friends endure external abuse from outsiders, internally they also suffer, watching as their parents slowly succumb to the Maddening. Despite the solace of unbreakable friendship, life is unrelenting.

When a desperate king makes a seemingly magnanimous offer to a hopeless population, the Sour Flower Gang sets out on a harrowing expedition to find God for the very people who cast them aside.

During a journey in which the children encounter the unimaginable—both beautiful and nightmarish—a terrifying question takes shape. Are the Snail-Gods here to once more save mankind, or is the Gloomtide that has enveloped Quaan a precursor to humanity’s deserved end?

Favorite Lines:

“Ash’s heart jumped again. She blamed it on the exertion of the pull.”

“Good. You have each other. That’s more than most in this cursed land. Do not take that for granted. Together,  you can move worlds.”

“I know that they’re carnivores. But as to what kind of carni they vore, I have no idea.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

One thing that I love about fantasy is that you can pretty much think up whatever you want. There are no rules to follow and your creativity is not bound to the laws of our every day world. The story that Early weaves in Children of Madness is just one example of this. This story follows Fincher Bugg and his friends as they set foot on a journey on behalf of the ruler of Quaan who is desperate to reach what is supposed to be the answer for humankinds survival – the Snail-Gods.

This book was a journey in itself. Early creates an utterly unique world unlike anything I have ever read before that is still somehow believable. While there are themes that run parallel to what we see in our every day lives in reality, Early scatters them throughout this story in a creative and refreshing way. I wasn’t expecting this to be a coming of age-esque story but it still pulled in that direction to me; perhaps it was the constant theme of friendship throughout.

I did find that while this book is quite long, I never really felt like it was a chore to read. Each chapter had good pacing and I found myself somehow wanting more by the end of the book. I also appreciated the map at the beginning to keep my bearings throughout the journey.

Summary:

Overall, if you like epic fantasy full of action, adventure, suspense, friendship, and some mystery then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Children of Madness here!

 

Review: The Mutiny of the American Foreign Legion by Neal Alexander

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Hugo Ayala has burned his bridges with the Colombian military by denouncing murders committed by his former officers. After surviving a bloody assignment in Yemen with an American security company, he completes U.S. Army basic training. But he’s blocked from becoming a green card soldier by new anti-immigration laws. He stays on as an illegal, and joins the American Foreign Legion, an immigration rights group whose members have fought for the USA.

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is detaining and deporting thousands of people a day, without due process. But now the communities being targeted include Hugo and others who know how to fight back. The leader of the AFL has his own political backers and doubtful motives. As each side ratchets up the violence, American political unity starts to crack.

This gripping thriller which draws on current events and little-known facts:

– Many non-citizens serve in the US armed forces and as employees of American security contractors. For example, the second US Marine killed in action in the Iraq War was Guatemalan. A recent MIT study of these green card soldiers is subtitled “Between Model Immigrant and Security Threat”.

– Border Patrol agents “have gone from having one of the most obscure jobs in law enforcement to one of the most hated,” according to the New York Times. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deport people without due process, including US Citizens.

– A recent Chicago Tribune op-ed describes how current how the current “struggles over immigration echo the conflict over slavery”. Confrontations in Texas over immigration have been described as “civil war” in the New York Times.

Favorite Lines:

“When you’re under fire, do you think any category is going to protect you?”

“So you’re doubly illegal, man. just who we need at these peace talks.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story mostly follows Hugo Ayala, an immigrant soldier who comes to the US and originally plans to enlist as a green card solider but finds himself blocked due to anti-immigration laws. Despite this road block, he finds a new way to fight for immigration rights and the US by joining the American Foreign Legion, an immigration rights group. Hugo quickly finds himself thrown into a chaotic world full of hidden agendas that has him questioning who he can really trust.

When I received the review request from this book, I was on the fence about reading it but I have been branching out a lot recently to genres/books that I wouldn’t normally read and have been pleasantly surprised every time; this book was no exception. While technically fiction, this book sheds light on real, current events that are taking place in the US that many people probably know nothing about.

Alexander did a great job at creating a fictitious story that walks the line of reality. I thought the world building and character writing were both very well done and the creative way that Alexander introduced real-life political issues throughout was just the cherry on top. The pacing was just right for the story being told and I found myself at the edge of my seat several times, turning page after page to see what happens next.

One thing to note is that there are a lot of PoV changes. It seems like every chapter is flipping from one character/setting to another so pay attention to this as you read through. Once I got settled in with all the characters and storylines, I didn’t find it hard to follow and I especially enjoyed Valentina’s scenes journey. 

Summary:

Overall, if you like fiction that straddles the lines of reality and that touches on political topics especially related to US immigration rights and the US military, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out The Mutiny of the American Foreign Legion here!

Above Dark Waters by Eric Kay

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Artificial therapy so great, you’ll never log off! (And won’t notice the ads). A near-future sci-fi about brain privacy in the age of unfettered surveillance capitalism. What will companies do when they can read your actual mind? How far will they go to get your click? How much engagement? This is how cyberpunk starts.

Ed’s in a bind. He’s tried everything to keep the North Pacific Seastead afloat financially. Losses mount, except for the datacenter cooled by the Pacific. But the seastead needs an infusion of cash to keep it solvent. He needs it quickly, and the only one who can do it is his well-to-do partner, Keight.

Keight Stanford is doing great. Life’s good on her residential condominium complex offshore of San Francisco. Her secretive mental-health startup, WellSpring, has passed all hurdles with the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat PTSD using a brain-machine interface. Adding to that success, she just received an infusion of funds from the Department of Defense. Though she does not need the money, she needs the computing power for an artificial therapist, and has entertained Ed’s offer.

But all is not as it seems with Keight’s startup. A rogue programmer stumbles upon ways to boost his output to unnatural levels. Is this artificially intelligent co-coder an extension of his mind, or is he merely a tool of its growing intelligence? Meanwhile the CEO is secretly selling the data to ad companies to finance a free tier. Because who could argue against free therapy?

Now, Ed must decide if Keight really is going to save the world, or doom it to a boring dystopia of personalized addictive ads.

Favorite Lines:

“Oh great, because I couldn’t keep a marriage together now, the whole progress of humanity is held back.”

“All the minds of man and heaven are ransom.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows two main characters who are exes when we are introduced to them. As the story unfolds, we see the background to why they didn’t work and how they got to where they currently are.

I would classify this book as a sci-fi, cyberpunk, Black Mirror-esque story that thoroughly creeped me out because of how close the topics Kay dives into could be to reality in the near future. In this world that Kay introduces us to, AI assisted brain technologies exist and people are signing up for access. What starts as brain therapy turns into the opportunity to be immersed in a virtual reality that causes users to slowly lose touch with what is actually reality.

I think that the world that Kay built was very unique. The characters that we get to follow along with are very human and Kay does a good job at causing readers to reflect on what it really means to be human and live the lives we currently live, in the realities we are currently living in. I called it Black Mirror-esque because I could see this being the plot to one of their future episodes. As technology continues to advance outside of the stories we are reading or tv shows we are watching, the topics explored in this story could very well become our future someday and perhaps we should learn some lessons such as those explored in this story to be ready for that future.

Summary:

Overall, if you’re a fan of sci-fi, cyberpunk, fictions involving AI technologies, and stories with a Black Mirror tone, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Above Dark Waters here!

 

Review: Introduction to Investing: Your Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey by Vladyslav Grabarskyy

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Unlock the secrets of investing with “Introduction to Investing: A Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey.”

Have you always wanted to learn about the stock market but didn’t know where to start? This comprehensive beginner’s guide covers everything you need to know to begin your journey to financial independence. Discover the history of money, the basics of the stock market, bond market, and various investment strategies, all presented in an easy-to-understand format.

Dive into essential topics such as personal finance for beginners, investment strategies for beginners, and financial literacy. Learn how to set up a brokerage account, manage your money, and make informed investment decisions. Whether you’re new to investing or looking to refine your skills, this book is your roadmap to success in the world of finance.

Key Features:

  • Understand the fundamentals of money and investing

  • Step-by-step guide to starting investing

  • Insights into stock market and bond market basics

  • Practical investment strategies for beginners

  • Tips on personal finance management and financial literacy

  • Strategies on how to combat money printing and inflation

  • Investing in precious metals, real estate, land, and commodities

  • Promising investment opportunities for the next decade

Start building your wealth today and take the first step towards financial independence.

Favorite Lines:

Rather than picking out favorite lines, I picked a couple of my favorite chapters, which included: 

Chapter 1: History of Money

Chapter 7: Investment Opportunities I See Over The Next Few Decades

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I very rarely read books like this but when Grabarskyy submitted a review request, I was really interested to give it a read. I am in what I classify as my “financial girl era” and am interested in learning more about finances and investing for betterment of my future and I thought this book was a decent resource to learn more from a perspective that I haven’t given much thought towards in the past. Grabarskyy does a good job at laying out several investing mechanisms including tips and tricks to manage finances better and some investment opportunities

One thing I will note is that books like this can be a bit dry because it is a lot of information being thrown at you all at once. I would recommend taking this a chapter at a time and really digesting the information that Grabarskyy provides before moving on  to the next. I personally found myself making some notes on the side and found this to be a great strategy to really understand all the information.

If I had to be knit-picky, I do wish that the diagrams were a bit more clear – some were a bit stretched or hard to read but they were still clear enough to understand and illustrate the point Grabarskyy was getting at. I also wish that there were more discussions on the stock and bond market and the investment opportunities there. They were touched on in a couple chapters but it seems that Grabarskyy is suggesting investments on more physical assets such as precious metals which may not be for everyone.

Summary:

Overall, if you are in your “financial girl era” like me or just interested in learning more about finances and investing for your future, then this book could be for you. 

Check out Introduction to Investing: Your Complete Guide to Starting Your Wealth-Building Journey here!

 

Review: Captives by Travis Tougaw

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

A child disappears, leaving behind a broken and grieving family. With no witnesses, no motives, and no evidence, Hadley, Vince, and Eddie must delve deep into the past to piece together what really happened, unaware of the powerful enemies they’re about to make.

Two-year-old Jonah Davidson disappeared from his family’s front yard 15 years ago. While most people believe he’s dead or will never be found, his desperate sister turns to the Fleck, Collins, and Marcotte Agency for help. As the detectives dig up clues from the past, they uncover a web of secrets, including some of Hadley’s own. As she struggles to come to terms with her past, the team confronts present-day adversaries who will do anything to keep their deceit from coming to light. The case takes the team on a chase across Colorado, where one misstep could prove deadly.

Captives is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Well-crafted and surprising, Travis Tougaw’s latest novel will keep you turning pages until the end. Don’t miss Vince and Hadley’s new adventure!

Favorite Lines:

“A flock of Canada geese flew overhead, squawking their way south. The air held a chill like it could snow any moment, and Hadley smelled a wood-burning fireplace nearby. She loved fall in Colorado.”

“We have way too many cases that end with one of us in a hospital bed.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was racking my brain trying to come up with the last time I read a true detective novel and the only thing that came up was Nancy Drew….Suffice to say it has been quite some time but after this book, I know I’ll be reading more in this genre in the near future.

This is book two in the series – you can find book one here – but I don’t think it is a requirement to read book one before this. Each book follows the same group of detectives but features a separate case. In this one, the detective agency doesn’t usually take on this type of case – a missing child cold case – but Hadley Collins has personal reasons for wanting to get involved. Readers follow along with the detective team through a suspenseful mystery as they try to solve the case.

This was suspenseful, a thriller, mysterious, captivating, and addicting! I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up until 2am to finish it!  It had me on the edge of my seat and threw me for a loop with a plot twist that I didn’t see coming. I thought Tougaw did an excellent job with this one and I will definitely be going back to read the first book in the series after this!

Summary:

Overall, if you like mysteries, investigative thrillers, and/or detective stories, then this book could be for you. Word of advice, start it earlier in the day so you aren’t up until 2am trying to finish it because you can’t put it down! Happy reading!

Check out Captives here!

 

Review: To Do Justice by Frank S. Joseph

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

Set during the riots of 1965-66, To Do Justice tells the story of Pinkie, a mixed-race child of Chicago’s meanest streets … and Mollie, a lovelorn (white) reporter in the Chicago bureau of The Associated Press. Together this unlikely pair will track down the white woman who gave Pinkie birth, and score a Pulitzer-worthy scoop in the bargain.

Favorite Lines:

“Now I’m a pretty solid person. Most of the time I’m good at ignoring my impulses. It’s the German blood on Mom’s side maybe.”

“I responded that I’d felt discriminated myself – about my weight, my acne, the fact that I’m a single woman in a man’s world.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

To Do Justice is book three in Joseph’s The Chicago Trilogy. I have not read the other two in the series yet but it seems like each book can serve as a stand alone. In this book, readers find themselves dropped in the middle of the 1960s Chicago riots and all that comes with them. While there are many characters in this story, the main characters include a biracial girl who is forced to the streets by her foster parents and a white reporter who befriends her and agrees to help solve the mystery of her parentage. This vaguely reminded me of the TV show “I Am the Night” which also takes place in the 1960s and has a reporter helping a girl uncover her heritage. The show is set in Los Angeles and Nevada and is inspired by true events with secrets surrounding the Black Dahlia murder.

This story is for anyone who is interested in reading about the conflicts that arose during the 1960s, especially in Chicago. I felt immersed in the world that Joseph created from the descriptions of the scenes to the dialogue used during the conversations. Joseph does an excellent job at examining questions around gender and identity, racial politics, and the over arching question of what the value of human life is. While the story takes place in the 1960s, a lot of these themes are still prevalent today and Joseph shines a light on them in a creative way.

Summary:

Overall, if you like historical fiction that revolves around racial conflicts that examine race, identity, and politics especially in the setting of the Chicago riots in the 1960s, then this book could be for you. You can find the book trailer here. Happy reading!

Check out To Do Justice here!

Review: Paris Lost and Found: A Memoir of Love by Scott Dominic Carpenter

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

After his hilarious introduction to Paris in French Like Moi, Scott Dominic Carpenter returns to the scene of the crime with more tales of intrigue. 
 
This time, though, the story takes a surprising turn as his wife struggles with dementia. Humor may be the best medicine, but even the antics of a vandal in their building can’t cement the tiles of her memory for long. Before he expects it, Carpenter finds himself alone in a capital that is also blighted by the pandemic. 
 
It’s against this backdrop that the city comes roaring back to life. From bizarre encounters on the Metro to comical clashes with authority figures, and even a quixotic battle against a flock of migrant parrots, Paris Lost and Found unveils sides of the great city that are as quirky as they are authentic. With his unique blend of wit, insight, and wistfulness, Carpenter charts a path through his new labyrinth of solitude—only to emerge on the other side, squinting into the bright light of hope and new beginnings.

 

Favorite Lines:

“France is a paradise inhabited by people who believe they’re in hell.” (This is technically cheating because it is a quote by Sylvain Tesson in the start of this memoir but I thought it really set the tone for what the rest of the memoir would be and I loved it)

“It confirmed my hunch that emotion is the mortar that cements memoires in place.”

“In France, the experience is different. If you want to get a handgun here, there’s really just one recommended course of action: forget it. They put you through an obstacle course of required training, applications, waiting periods, and even letters of recommendation from the head of your local shooting club.”

“They say the senses compensate for one another. You lose you your sigh, but your ears perk up. You go as deaf as a post, but suddenly you can read the bottom line of the eye chart. So, too, with people. You lose one, and others grow in importance. It was the unknown population around me who mattered now.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is a follow up to Carpenter’s first travel memoir, French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris, which I have not read but will definitely be reading after this. This memoir details Carpenter and his late wife Anne’s adaption to living in France. Carpenter not only takes us on the journey of their start in France but also the journey Carpenter must later embark on alone through loss and new beginnings after the passing of his wife.

I thought this book flowed very nicely and kept me engaged throughout. Carpenter did an excellent job at making me feel like I was right there along with him and Anne, living the experiences they were living. As an American who has never been to Europe, I thought the comparisons between French and American mentalities were really helpful, and quite frankly, sometimes humorous, to understand how different life can really be over there. Carpenter did a great job at combining serious topics and experiences with humor in a way that kept this book light-hearted and most definitely a page turner.

Summary:

Overall, I thought this was a really engaging read that gave a Midwesterner’s perspective on life in France. If you like travel memoirs that detail culture and are full of humor, life, and love then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out Paris Lost and Found: A Memoir of Love here!

 

Monthly Features – May

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

The Midnight Rose by Catalina Paris

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis:

The Alchemyst
The Faerie
The Witch
The Warlock

Leo is a sixteen-year-old apprentice at the Alchemical Court until one night changes everything. When the castle is attacked and Leo is told to flee, he creates a new portal using the strange runes left behind in his missing master’s notebook. Arriving in the mysterious Realm of the Fey, a place long forgotten by mortals and Alchemysts alike, Leo meets the enchanting Lady Lisandre, a young faerie in need of his help. Together they quickly learn both their worlds are under threat from the elusive Dark Alchemyst; unless they find the mythical Talismans of Atlantica before he does. . Along the way they encounter Flora, a charming witch on a search for the truth of her family, as well as Leo’s former classmate, a warlock with questionable intentions, Lucien. The four of them are soon drawn together as they face numerous dangers and challenges to find and retrieve the talismans. Set in an alternative magical renaissance, The Midnight Rose is a spell-binding fantasy adventure unlike any other.

Summary: Overall, this was a creative fantasy story and I am interested to see where Paris takes this next. If you like fantasy, alchemy, action, adventure, and magic, then this book could be for you.

See the full review here: The Midnight Rose
Purchase here

Death’s Flow by Victor Klayin

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Sometimes, you’re your own worst enemy…
Zaleck, a young albino farmer’s son from a little backwater town, wakes up not to the comfort of his home, but to the confines of a prison cart. His limbs bound, his voice stolen by a gag, panic mounts as he contemplates his fate, unaware of why he even became a target.
Yet, amidst despair, fate — or perhaps something more arcane — intervenes as he’s freed with the help of two other captives: Arneth and Vellis. Arneth, a scholar belonging to an obscure order of master manipulators, who wields knowledge as well as a sword, and who seems to manipulate fate itself. Vellis, a master markswoman whose prowess with the bow is matched only by the shadows of her past. Her ties to the nobility are as complex as the web of secrecy around her. An ex-soldier, she carries the weight of her skills and the burden of her past, her eyes always on the lookout for the next threat, her hand always steady.
Pursued relentlessly by their captors, in service of a dark priest from the powerful “Death Kingdom”, the trio must fight not only to survive, but also learn to trust and work together, uncovering the true reason for their capture.
Soon, they find they might even be able to hide from the slavers, but they can’t ever outrun the consequences of their actions.

Summary: This book has it all – adventure, suspense, mystery, magic, action, and fantasy. Klayin did a fantastic job of weaving these themes together into an addictive experience that will leave readers wanting more. I would recommend to anyone but especially those that have interests in one of the themes I mentioned previously.

See the full review here: Death’s Flow
Purchase here

 

This Kind of Man by Sean Murphy

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: THIS KIND OF MAN offers an unvarnished look at life in 21st Century America, excavating the complicated, tender, wild truth of what it is to be a man across generations and relationships. These stories interrogate the pressures and tensions of contemporary life, and the ways men grapple with them, often without success. Issues such as marriage, fatherhood, aggression, alcoholism, gender expectations, generational backlash, and the inexorable dread of death, abound.

Many of these stories live within a slow implosion of coping, and often failing, as well as those who refuse to succumb, addressing concerns oft-discussed, or not discussed enough, in mainstream print: gun violence, the recent history of coal country Appalachia, sports-related concussions, illegal immigration (and the jobs many of these ostensibly unwelcome folks are obliged to do), homelessness, and the inability of men to honestly connect or communicate.

Far from excusing or exonerating toxic males, this collection locates their violence (toward others, against themselves) in the context of a deadening culture and the false narratives that prevail in an exploitative, zero-sum game capitalist model, where those without are encouraged to quarrel with similarly overworked and underpaid, mostly blue-collar workers. We see that our received notions of manhood and masculinity are inculcated-from the beginning and by design-to ensure willing participation in a system where the overwhelming majority are excluded from the start. We witness the way these dysfunctions are handed down like inheritance, and how every cliché, from fighting to drinking to intolerance of dissent and distrust of others, is a carefully constructed trap, preventing solidarity, empathy, and love (for others, for one’s self).

Summary: Overall, I thought this was a creative way to tackle complex subjects while keeping readers engaged. It is an extremely clever way to get readers to answer some hard questions themselves through reflection brought on by the stories. I think this is an important read for anyone but would especially recommend it to those that are interested in the complexities of manhood and all that may go with it.

See the full review here: This Kind of Man
Purchase here

 

 

Review: Aftermath Boy by Robert E. Honig

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

History has its way with Billy Cohen, charmed offspring of Holocaust Survivors Rozsa and Bertie Cohen. His mother’s story of survival from the 1944 Vienna Death March to Dachau’s deadly forced labor, disease and starvation, Bergen-Belsen’s typhus, and inhuman conditions, to her last minute escape with her sister, Lili, and the continuing struggle to survive in Soviet occupied Budapest after the war challenges Billy to grasp the incompressible while growing up with homegrown antisemitism in the 1950s and 60s. Billy’s father, Bertie, came to the U.S. with a mission, to save his father, mother, sister and brother-in-law, but his failure casts a pall over his only son. An only child, Billy dreams of putting his parents shattered world right as his own history sweeps him toward the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement, feminism, and a nation headed not only toward division, but doubling back upon the mistakes, the cultism, and the threats of fascism that led to the Holocaust. After a lifetime of Don Quixote pursuits, including a seductive brush with a left wing lover that leads him to join the Communist Labor Party, Billy finds himself the subject of an FBI inquiry into his investigation of the theft of hundreds of Wisconsin ballots cast during the 2024 Presidential Election, an election that hangs in the balance

Favorite Lines:

“A mature adult settles into himself, steadily gains confidence, and solves problems, even keeled, with or without assistance. One needn’t perform heroic deeds to achieve competence, but Billy Cohen has to save the world. Ironic that it takes a selfish ego to want to save the world and a selfless one to actually save it, even in small ways.”

“To take another life rends the threads of your conscience.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would say that this isn’t my typical read but it sounded interesting and I think it is important to read books such as this from time to time. This story revolves around Billy who finds his life to be molded by his parents’ experiences, like many children, although unlike many children, Billy’s parents were Holocaust survivors. Billy is accused of election fraud that took place during the 2024 election and the story ends open ended where the reader is left to decide whether Billy is guilty or not.

This story flashes back and forth between past and present events. Billy is in present times being accused for election fraud but we see flashes back to during the Holocaust and what his family had to endure. I thought this book was interesting because while fiction, Honig used real testimonies from his two aunts who lived through the Holocaust. So while fiction, the events described in this book were very real realities for those who experienced the tragedies that took place during the Holocausts.

If I were to be nit-picky, the chapters were quite short and came off at times as choppy – this could have been because they were single spaced rather than double in the version I received for this review though. There were also some spelling/grammar errors scattered throughout that could be cleaned up.  However, neither one of these were distracting enough to take away from the overall well written story.    

Summary:

Overall, I thought this was an interesting book that melded together fiction with reality with Honig weaving true experiences throughout the story. I would recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction involving the Holocaust. Happy reading!

Check out Aftermath Boy here!